This invention relates generally to the mechanical tool art and more specifically concerns a tool for driving sockets and the like wherein the tool has swivel points along its length which enables the tool to take various configurations, depending upon the torque and speed desired.
Many articles of manufacture are assembled with a large number of securing articles, such as bolts/nuts and screws. Often, the assembly of these articles, as well as their partial or complete disassembly for inspection, maintenance or repair, is a tedious and time consuming task. Examples of such articles include the rear panel on many television sets, aircraft panels and engine oil pans, all of which use a large number of the same size nut/bolt combinations or screws in their construction. Power driven tools are available for such tasks, but they are expensive, and cumbersome. Also, power may not be readily available in a particular situation. There are also specialty tools, like nut drivers, which provide some improvement, but even these tools have proven to be too slow for applications such as those mentioned above.
Thus, there is a need for a simple, relatively inexpensive, tool for rapid insertion and removal of nuts, screws and the like which is easy to use and does not require external electrical power.
Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide such a tool which overcomes one or more of the disadvantages of the prior art noted above.
It is an object of the present invention to provide such a tool which is capable of rapid removal of securing articles such as nuts and screws.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a tool which in combination with a socket can operate both as a conventional nut driver and as a rapid nut driver.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide such a tool which, depending on the configuration of the head or head attachment, is useful with different shaped nuts and certain types of screws.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a tool which is simple to operate, and can be operated by hand.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide one embodiment of such a tool which can operate both as a wrench extension and as a speed wrench.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a tool which has a variable speed and torque capability.